A contentious Jay Carney scolded opponents of the Affordable Care Act for their efforts to limit the law’s implementation and impact. After the “remarkable surge” in sign-ups over the last few weeks, the press secretary revealed the most up-to-date enrollment figure: 7,041,000.

On the last day alone, more than 200,000 people enrolled, and that doesn’t include figures from state-run exchanges, he said.

“I hope the fact that this 7 million number has been reached allows us to all step back and look at the sweeping, positive change the law has ushered in to strengthen health security for every American as they go through life,” he told reporters.

Republican efforts to dismantle the law were proved to have been wrong by the enrollment surge, Carney said. He pointed to various legislative proposals, as well as the government shutdown, as examples of failed Republican efforts to stall Obamacare.

“Amazingly, just this week, the speaker recommitted Republicans to their strategy of repealing the law,” he said. “I hope you’ll ask the speaker this: How will that effort, to repeal the law, ensure that Americans have access to the same quality health-care that members of Congress have?”